Summary
The sniper class in theBattlefieldseries has usually been adopted by intermediate to advanced players who have the patience of a saint. Expert marksmanship can be pretty daunting at the beginning, andBattlefield 2042is no different in this regard.
With that said, the open-ended nature of most maps inBattlefield 2042, riddled with decent vantage points, makes the sniper class a very viable option, even for beginners. The following list ranks all five sniper rifles currently in the game in terms of primary performance metrics, including range, accuracy, and damage.
Updated on July 06, 2025, by Waseem Muhammad:With the launch of Season 7, Battlefield 2042 brings out new Maps, weapons, and a new Battlepass. Recons have always been a popular class primarily because of their ability to scan and detect enemy troops pinging their location for themselves as well as the team. They are also always associated with the Sniper Rifles, which are one of the hardest weapons to master.
Sniper Rifles in Battlefield 2024 have always been a mixed bag. Some players love them, while others hate being sniped from 300+ meters. The recent Season 7 update adds no significant changes to the Snipers, and thus, their ranking in this list remains the same. With the addition of the new map,Haven, players who are fond of Snipers can play and understand the layout of the pressure points and support zones around control points.
5NTW-50
Useful Against Light Armored Vehicles With A Low Handling
NTW-50isunlocked upon reaching Level 60. The sniper rifle carries the lowest stat for rate of fire, making it considerably slower than the other four snipers in the game. However, what NTW-50 lacks in the speed department it makes up for it in terms of sheer firepower. Such characteristics of NTW-50, coupled with its default anti-material ammunition, make it very useful against light-armored enemies and vehicles at close to medium ranges. The NTW-50 has the lowest handling out of all the Snipers making it harder to aim compared to the others.
For top rail attachments,M11 6Xis good for enhanced scope especially considering the slow bullet speed and low base range for NTW-50. Alternatively, the8R Holoscope is another viable option due to assistance with ADS that can come in quite handy for this sniper rifle.
4XCE Bar
High Rate of Fire Coupled With High Accuracy
TheXCE Baris unlockable by completing two objectives. First, players must kill at least 50 enemies with any sniper rifle at a distance of 50m or less. Second, the players must perform 10 headshot kills on enemies with any sniper rifle at a distance of 200m or more. It has the second highest Zoom Level at 6.00, which is the same as the SWS-10. The gun has 39 handling, which is the most out of any of the snipers.
XCE Bar inBattlefield 2042suits an aggressive play style for close to mid-ranged combat due to its high rate of fire and corresponding accuracy. An ammunition type like High-Power will push this fire rate even higher up to unprecedented levels with 74 rpm. For top rail attachment, theLongshot 12Xscope does wonders for mitigating XCE Bar’s slightly underwhelming accuracy and range options.
3DXR-1
Great For Long-Distance With Its High Firepower
This sniper rifle is unlocked upon reaching Level 24.DXR-1is one of the better options for long-distance sniping primarily due to boasting the highest bullet velocity out of any other sniper rifle. TheBKS 8Xscope is best forenhanced visibilityand precision at extremely long distances. The high zoom level, coupled with its high firepower, means the sniper can take out distant enemies without them being able to react.
The standardHigh Powerrounds add to DXR-1’s already incredible range while theExtended Barrelincreases the bullet velocity making this sniper rifle very menacing over long distances. The shortcomings of DXR-1 lie in the department of fire rate and reload speed which is why there are two snipers ahead of it in this list.
2GOL Sniper Magnum
Low Bullet Drop Weapon With A Tricky Unlock Requirement
This sniper rifle is a little tricky to unlock but worth the extra effort. First, players are required to perform a combined total of 60 kills and assists with the original Gol sniper rifle, which is accessible inBattlefield: Bad Company 2throughBattlefield 2042’s Portal platform. Additionally, players must also meet the requirement of spotting 100 enemies with the laser designator,SOFLAM.
InBattlefield 2042’s current season, theGOL Sniper Magnumis considered the best sniper rifle for long-distance combat within theBattlefieldcommunity, and the stats back that up. The weapon is incredibly precise at long range with virtually minimal bullet drop and weapon spread to the point it can hit-scan enemies from way far out. For scopes, theM11 6Xprovides the best balance between magnification and contrast for long-range sniping. Alternatively, theBallistic Scope 12Xenhances zoom distance but at the cost of no spotting scope, so it is more suited for experienced players.
The GOL Sniper Magnum lacksin terms of reload speedand very limited attachment options. For instance, theBipodfor weapon stability is the only underbarrel attachment. Similarly, the sniper rifle does not support other ammunition types, which can leave players out of options especially if the strategy is to stay camping without ammo constraints.
1SWS-10
Default Starting Sniper With a High Magazine Size
The best sniper rifle inBattlefield 2042is also the one that has no requirements for unlocking, asit is the default starting weaponin this category. Being a beginner weapon, players can benefit from using theSWS-10to build experience and confidence in the weapon before unlocking any other sniper rifles.
The weapon is tied with XCE Bar for having the fastest rate of fire, so the SWS-10 excels in close to mid-range combat and suits an aggressive play style even for a recon approach. This fact is only helped with attachments likeClose Combat ammunitionfor lighter rounds,Shortened Barrelfor increased rate of fire, andSHAN 2.5Xfor accuracy in close-quarter combat. Coupling these attachments with theMasterkeyunderbarrel essentially allows the SWS-10 to pack the same punch as shotguns in close range.
However, what makes SWS-10 the best sniper is its versatility. Outside of close combat, the traditional best scopes for long-distance sniping are also recommended here. TheM11 6Xscope provides excellent marksmanship. For bullet velocity, theExtended Barrelis essential, while the best stability for long-range sniping is achieved via underbarrel attachments likeBCG Light GripandADR Bipod. The former aids with ADS speed, while the latter is especially useful to reduce sway and recoil.
In short, SWS-10 is a jack of all trades for a sniper rifle. It not only excels at close-range combat but also from farther out, thanks to aplethora of useful attachmentand ammunition types, making it incredibly versatile and adaptable to different play styles.
